Jeff L. Thigpen Register of Deeds

Saturday, July 30, 2005

CAFTA and US Rep. Robin Hayes (NC)

Last night I was giving my daughter a bath and thinking about..well.. Robin Hayes. Hmmn, a vote for CAFTA and the deal is that the Bush Administration get tough on trade with China. What does that REALLY mean?

I pondered that thought as I grabbed the bathtime goodies....

Ok, well, what about Elmo and Cookie Monster tub minitures? Made in China. The little frogs that stick to the tub sides? Made in China. The little water cups, blue, green, yellow and red to gather water. Made in China. Washcloths? China. Floormat? You guessed it---China. Later I looked at the clothing- which is supposed to be the deal maker with Rep. Hayes. Don't ask! Can you say China? My daughter can now, sounds like "SINA".

I listened to a 16 year old teenager on NPR this morning bemoan the idea of trouble with China. "What will happen to all my hair products?", she said, " What would happen...would we go back to wearing buns in our hair!?!!"

Somehow I think China and the Bush Administration got the best out the deal and I'm still trying to figure out Robin Hayes. The deal looks like it will be "Get tough on NC trade" Can someone help me?

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Good Deeds Team goes into Action this Monday, August 1st from 7:30 am to 9 am!

Register of Deeds staff have started "The Good Deeds Team". The Team consists of volunteers in our office who are using their own time to help others. The vision of the Team is to pick a different charity every two months in the year and help them raise money, volunteer, etc. in that two month period.

The Good Deeds Team has chosen two cancer-related charities for August and September. They are the Helping Hearts and Hands charity and the Prayer Shawl Group through First Lutheran Church. Two very compelling groups who knit hats, blankets, and other accessories for cancer patients going through chemotherapy.

The Good Deeds Coffee Shop will be open on Monday, August 1st from 7:30 am to 9 am at the Plaza Level and Lower Ground Level of the Guilford County Courthouse. Come by and buy some $1 coffee, baked goods, and doughnuts! If you work in the Courthouse and want coffee delivered, call ph. 451-5300 on Monday morning and we'll deliver!

Register of Deeds office makes Guilford County Government History!!

The largest RFP in the history of Guilford County will be released on Monday!

The Request for Proposals will go to vendors telling them what WE (GUILFORD COUNTY REGISTER OF DEEDS OFFICE) WANT in a new computer software system. AND IT's PRETTY DARN THOROUGH, NOT MANY WASTED WORDS....

167 pages of "all day, change that sentence, move that box, revise the narrative, check with IS, Purchasing, Finance, put money in the budget, analyze our workflow, look at Demos, give comments, staff and users what do you want" RFP for a new computer system for the Deeds Office!

I am extremely grateful to the many employees, and tons of hours of input from my Supervisory Team, and Eichman Software Consultants who have been involved in this process thus far. While many days of evaluation of proposals and a selection will be in the future, I'm extremely encouraged by the level of participation in this process.

I'm a Democrat whose hometown is Burgaw, NC. Carolyn Justice is a Republican legislator representing Pender County- (Burgaw is the town seat). Sure she's Republican, but she's my people and all -- even if I don't I agree with her on some things.

In other words Ferrell, as a Democrat, you are doing a great job for us in the next election! I love your tax philosophy and views on limited government. Oh I'm sorry, I mean no government.

Ferrell, as a fly on the wall..... you need to get a grip. Unless you have a really good primary opponent in the wings for Carolyn Justice, you REALLY need to get a grip.

Basnight has a flat tire..... story courtesy of State Government Radio.

House member helps keep senate leader rollin,’ rollin’ Legislative leaders showed last week that in a crisis, the can patch things up. As he prepared to head home Thursday, Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight discovered that he had a flat tire, according to a report in the Winston-Salem Journal. A rear tire on Basnight’s Ford Expedition had sunk almost to the ground in the garage under the Legislative Building. And David Murdock, the billionaire owner of Dole Food Co., was scheduled to eat at Basnight’s restaurant in Nags Head. So, Rep. Jim Crawford, D-Granville, popped open the trunk on his nearby Lexus and pulled out an electric air pump that he used to inflate Basnight’s tire. “When things went flat around here, just remember who got things back on track,” said Crawford, a lead budget negotiator for the House. “That’s what we do around her – We plug a lot of leaks,” Basnight said. “Tell (House Speaker Jim) Black I agree with everything you want,” Basnight told Crawford. Then he drove off to get the tire fixed and fix Murdock’s dinner.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Lance Armstrong wins 7! And by the way, HE WILL GO INTO POLITICS!

You heard it here first. Lance Armstrong will go into politics. Governor of Texas? 7 time winner of Le Tour de France in CBS interview is asked to look forward and talk about his next steps after cycling.

"First, I can keep the cause of cancer in the heart and minds of the American public." The reporter asks, "Politics?" Armstrong replies, "I'm a fighter. (says some other things). Those in politics are fighters too. I'll never say never." I can see it a mile away!

Democrat or Republican. I have no idea where he comes down. Great story....real character. I'd vote for him. He'd be a good one whatever party.

Friday, July 22, 2005

Beloved Community Center Mortgage Buried under Tree!

Most meaningful act as Register of Deeds came this evening when I participated in a ceremony burying a satisfied mortgage at the Beloved Community Center at 437 Arlington Street- a location I worked for several years in the mid-90's.

As the mortgage was buried, the storms came....and I wouldn't expect anything different. Scott and Loggie has some great music on the porch and we had a great time! Elle danced a little.

Identity Theft Amendment: Pickin' a fight with Folks who buy ink by the Barrel...

Rep. Paul Stam, a Wake County Republican, lobbed an amendment to strike language from Identity Theft Legislation this week. The section of the bill he eliminated, by voice vote in the House Judiciary Committee, was originally meant to assure that news media would continue to have access to already "open"open government records.

Attorney General Cooper and the Press Association, and other groups have already layed the groundwork for the language in the legislation that protects SSN#'s and other personal information associated with these records. Word is, the language will get back into the legislation and I believe it should. I don't believe now is the time for a free speech and press scrap.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

I agree....

"With nearly two-thirds of illegal aliens lacking a high school degree, the primary reason they create a fiscal deficit is their low education levels and resulting low incomes and tax payments, not their legal status or heavy use of most social services," Camarota said. (Steven A. Camarota, author of the study saying illegal immigrants cost Fed. government $10 billion a year)

Friday, July 15, 2005

A prayer for Truth and Reconciliation and Virgil Griffith.

I'm in prayer for the process, the participants, the public hearings, Virgil Griffith and other speakers at the hearings, Greensboro, the Commissioners of the Panel, as well as opponents and proponents over the next two days.

I pray the public hearings go well and that God's spirit of truth and reconciliation enters into all hearts over the weekend. I especially pray for Virgil Griffith, that he would testify in a spirit of personal growth and that all of the precautions of security, etc. will not be necessary. I pray for his family and those around him to give him the courage and strength to testify and find reconciliation with those involved in Nov. 3, 1979.

I understand these kinds of prayers are always hard, (certainly when I'm praying for the grand wizard of the KKK). But they are nonetheless necessary to reconcile ourselves to become better people and a better Greensboro.

Friday, July 01, 2005

FTC's Anti-Identity Theft Czar Gets Identity Stolen

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Trade Commission helps millions of consumers each year battle identity theft. Now the woman who runs the agency, Deborah Platt Majoras, finds herself a potential victim after some of her personal information was stolen.

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